Salt Spray
by starrynight265
Summary: An unexpected arrival brings more problems than they could have thought. A little mild JA, continuation of Don't Let Go. It's a prequel to the sequel. Make sense? Kinda? 3 parts, short chapters, complete.
1. Default Chapter

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Disclaimer: I'd like this to apply for the whole story because I seem to have trouble remembering to write them for individual chapters. Pirates of the Caribbean characters or lines or the overall story are not mine. *sob* Please oh please don't sue me; I don't have much anyways.  
  
AN: This is the sequel to Don't Let Go and you most likely won't get it if you haven't read the first. It's not exactly a complete story either, but it doesn't go with the Don't Let Go or the sequel that I'm currently in the process of planning, entitled "Find My Way Back". Basically, it's a transition/prologue-type thing. So, there isn't a very good plot (if any). No hurt me!  
  
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Chapter 1:  
  
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"Ana!"  
  
Jack stormed onto deck, his neck craned upwards to where he had just been informed that his first mate was resting in the crow's nest high above. At her lack of response, he began to shout her name again furiously.  
  
"Anamaria!"  
  
"No!"  
  
Jack tried hollering up to her again, attempting not to be put off by her harsh tone. "Could ye just--?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Well, can I just-"  
  
"No!"  
  
Jack caught Gibbs muttering by the helm again, the wind carrying the words "cursed bad luck" to the pirate captain's ears. Since they had left Port Royal a week ago after dropping off the Dauntless along with Will, Elizabeth, James Norrington and Eve, the quartermaster had done nothing but voice his opinions of dark superstition.  
  
"Fine then!" he hollered up to Ana exasperatedly. "Break yer bloody neck for all I care!"  
  
"I'll be sure to," Ana's irritated voice came floating down from above over the noises of the Pearl and the ocean surrounding them.  
  
Jack pulled a flash from his pocket and leaned against the rigging, his eyes fixed on the top of the mast above him. He couldn't see her shape up there, and knew she must be sitting inside it, most likely staring at the sky. He knew it was a place that she often used to go to think, but after her injuries, this was the first time that she'd returned there. Jack paced about a bit, shooting anxious glances above, whirling to face Gibbs, who was standing at the helm.  
  
"I thought I told ye not to let 'er up!" he yelled at his quartermaster.  
  
Gibbs returned his accusatory glare with a sheepish shrug of his chubby shoulders. "Do ye really think I could stop 'er when the lass has a mind to do somethin'?" Gibbs replied ruefully.  
  
Jack waved his hand at the quartermaster to stop him from talking, and paced some more, his steps and appendages waving in an increasingly frenzied way. "Bloody females!" he shouted finally, throwing his hands up in the air.  
  
He grasped the rigging and began to climb it. About halfway up, Ana's head popped over the side of the large bucket serving as the crow's nest, and her face darkened angrily, the sea breezes whipping her dark tresses around her face. Jack watched as her arm swung back dangerously and released an object currently hurtling towards his head.  
  
Something sticky, hard, and wet collided with his forehead. Jack let out a muffled yell. It was an apple core, nothing more, and it fell to the deck below. Glaring furiously at the pirate woman above him, he hollered up an offended, "Ow!"  
  
Ana's face suffused with color. "Jack Sparrow ye turn yer fine ass around right now and git back on the deck!"  
  
"Nope!" Jack called back cheerfully, almost reaching her. "Not until ye do, my love."  
  
"Don't ye sugar talk me none, Sparrow" Anamaria yelled furiously as he climbed into the crow's nest.  
  
His foot caught the high rim of it and he lost his balance, collapsing into the wooden bucket on top of her, knocking them both into the floorboards of the narrow space propped up against the boards. Her head hit the wood with a muffled thump and she groaned in shock and pain, her eyes squeezing closed.  
  
"Ouch," she muttered, her eyes not opening.  
  
Jack carefully studied her face, immediately getting off of her and pulling her into his lap. "Sorry, sorry. . ." he began, noting her unresponsiveness in movements. He pushed her hair forward to try and see if she had been injured. Seeing a small lump there, he knew that she was going to have a painful chicken-egg lump later. He reached out to touch it, and she hissed in pain.  
  
Ana's hand shot out to grab his wrist and she squirmed around in his lap to sharply slap his cheekbone. Jack gasped at the sudden stinging pain and his palm shot to cup the reddening mark. He looked at Ana with a shocked and accusatory expression.  
  
"We're square," she replied dryly, purposefully using his signature phrase, her fingers reaching up to gently probe the tender area at the base of her hairline.  
  
Jack leaned his head back against the salty wood and heaved a sigh, closing his eyes in fair acceptance. "What are ye doin' up here, Ana?" he finally asked, knowing he was likely to receive another slap for it.  
  
"Thinkin'," she replied shortly, tilting her head back to gaze at the cloud wisps so she wouldn't have to meet his eyes.  
  
"About me?" Jack asked with a smug grin, reaching out his fingers to gently stroke beneath her chin.  
  
She shrugged him off, rolling her eyes at his large ego. "No. About me father."  
  
"Still thinkin' about yer heritage?" Jack asked gruffly, his dark, black- lined eyes regarding her intently.  
  
Ana's head jerked down and her eyes shot to his, and she knew she had been caught. "Aye," she said cautiously. She sighed and twirled her fingers in a loose strand of rebellious dark hair. "I don't know, Jack. It just keeps hauntin' me. I can't stop thinkin' about it. Maybe I should-"  
  
"No," Jack countered quickly. "Ye shouldn't." He knew what she was thinking. Maybe she should go search out her father's tribe in Africa, the Himba people. They had discussed it before since the awful happenings involving Ana's former slave master, Charles Adler who had first informed her of her heritage and her father's importance in his tribe as the chief's son. Now the Dutch explorers were looking for Ana, wanting to use her as leverage against the Himba. "I don't want ye to be nobody's leverage, Ana," he finished, reaching out to playfully tug the strand of hair that was so fascinating to her.  
  
Ana bit her lip and sighed. "I guess yer right. 'Tis a foolish thing, a foolish promise."  
  
Jack sighed as well, leaning forward toward her. "I know ye promised him, Ana, that ye'd protect them, but we don't know where to start. An' I just. . ." Jack's face twisted somewhat, unaccustomed to the recent emotions made obvious between the pair recently, "I just found ye again, and I don't wanna lose ye so quick. Savvy?"  
  
Ana allowed a tender smile to cross her face and she reached out to tangle her fingers in his. "Don't ye worry, Sparrow. I'm yers," she grinned ruefully, a somewhat embarrassed expression crossing her face. "Even if I did lose that pretty coin ye gave me."  
  
Jack grinned at her, his expression lighting up. "Well, I just happened to find me a little bird who happened to pick it up," he dug into his pocket, fishing out a small gold coin engraved with a Spanish seal. He held it up to the light, admiring the way the late afternoon Caribbean sun glinted off it.  
  
Anamaria glared at him in shock, feeling her temper flare yet again. "Jack Sparrow, ye let me think I lost it and beat meself up for near a month and ye had it the entire time!  
  
"Aye," the pirate captain replied smugly. "But see, love," he dangled it in front of her, and she realized that a small hole had been drilled through it now the small coin, only a ring's diameter wide, hung on a small gold chain. He'd been busy. "Ye never asked me if I had it," Jack drawled.  
  
Ana rolled her eyes, shaking her head in disbelief at the man. She spent several minutes waging an ongoing battle in her head deciding whether to smack the man or kiss him. In the end, neither side triumphed and she leaned back against the side of the crow's nest, her arms crossed deliberately in front of her chest.  
  
He held up his right hand so she could see there on his ring finger the place where the silver ring she had given him for luck was perched, giving her a rare gold-toothed sincere smile. He carefully uncrossed her arms and slipped the trinket around her neck, tucking it under her shirt. "For luck," he told her.  
  
Ana leaned forward and gave him a thanking kiss, letting an amused chuckle escape her when he hauled himself to his feet, suavely curled his mustache, and gave her a seductive look as only Jack Sparrow could before offering her his hand. She took it with a wry smile, and he pulled her up alongside him. He lowered her head to kiss her deeply as they could not at the awkward angle, his arms wrapping like steel bands around her. The pair felt the wind whipping at their clothes and the sun dancing off their skin their lips caressed, speaking silent words to the other.  
  
"Ship comin' up fast!" Gibbs yell was almost lost to the wind, and the deep voice reached their ears through the haze of passion.  
  
Ana broke the kiss, still clinging tightly to him and only turning her head to see what the ruckus was about. Watching the ship's approach, she felt a remarkable and sinking sensation of déjà vu. She clutched at Jack's shirt where she stood, using one hand to shield her eyes against the glare of the sunlight on the sea.  
  
Jack's narrowed eyes surveyed the ship thoughtfully. Indeed, it was coming up fast. The last time that had happened, the results had been near disastrous, he remembered all too well with sinking suspicions. "Let's get to deck," he said anxiously, his brow creasing in a frown. The ship was unfamiliar, but even at the distance he could see that it was no pleasure boat but a war ship, armed with multiple broadside canons and several mounted on deck.  
  
Ana swung her leg over the side of the crow's nest, cautiously and nimbly lowering herself down onto the ribbing to climb down.  
  
BANG  
  
Ana's body jerked with the noise, and in her surprise she lost her footing and her body slipped, her hands grasping for something, anything.  
  
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	2. Chapter 2

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Chapter 2  
  
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BANG  
  
Ana's body jerked with the noise, and in her surprise she lost her footing and her body slipped, her hands grasping for something, anything.  
  
Jack launched the top half of his body over the side of the crow's nest, reaching his hands frantically downward to try and catch her. Not seeing her immediately, Jack felt his heart thud to a sudden stop.  
  
"Jack!" her voice rose to meet his ears again, and Jack finally spotted her, one hand caught in the rigging and the rest of her body twisting frantically in attempts to find some other way to stable herself.  
  
"Coming, love," Jack yelled back, quickly swinging himself down to just above her along the horizontal supports. He wrapped his legs around the beam and dangled himself down to stretch out his hand. Her free hand caught securely in his and he hoisted her struggling form to deposit her in front of him on the beam.  
  
Straddling it, Ana stared at him blankly. She tilted her head to stare down at where she had been hanging precariously seconds before then looked back at him, suddenly beginning to tremble. Jack reached out his hand and touched her shoulder, seeming to reassure her that she was safe.  
  
"Come on, love," Jack said finally, and he, with an iron grasp on her wrist, helped her move down to the secure knotted rigging that connected the crow's nest and the Pearl's deck. When her feet touched the deck, she felt an overwhelming shakiness flow through her and she clutched at the ropes, too proud to let herself sit.  
  
Jack watched her with concerned eyes, but knew her pride was most important in front of the rest of the crew. "Man the guns!" he barked. The other ship hadn't fired on them again, and it was quite possible that the shot was only meant to alert the Pearl of their presence or a malfunction, seeing how nothing had been damaged. Still, it never hurt to be prepared.  
  
Not going its top speed, the other speeding ship easily caught up within minutes. As they drew alongside, Jack saw Anamaria go very pale. The familiarity of the situation did not escape him. He caught her eyes and motioned towards his cabin, the closest, but she shook her head. Glaring a little, he gestured with his head again towards it. Finally she threw her hands up in the air and stalked towards the cabin, muttering something about a daft pirate captain.  
  
Jack didn't recognize the other ship. However as it drew alongside the Pearl, he narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at a figure standing up on the railing clinging to a line, waving its free arm frantically. The dark hair and slim build suddenly clicked in Jack's mind, and he glimpsed the ship's name: Requisition.  
  
Jack rolled his eyes and shouted over to the other ship, "What's in yer head, lad? Miss yer Captain Jack already?"  
  
The man on the other ship looked amused, "Obviously," he shouted back. The dark-haired man threw a rope adorned with three large prongs on one end onto the Pearl, catching securely on the rigging. At the slow speeds the ships had been reduced to, he swung easily onto the Pearl. His boots landed with a thump on the deck and he straightened up, importantly pushing back his cloak revealing his finely made clothes and exquisitely polished sturdy sword.  
  
Jack's lips curled into his trademark smirk. "Elizabeth's been clothing ye well, I see. Turnin' ye into a fine-steppin' noble, aye?"  
  
"She has not!" William Turner protested, his tanned face turning a nice shade of pink.  
  
Jack waved his hand as if his protest was of minimal importance. "What's all this about then?" he asked. "Oh, lemme guess. Ye want to turn pirate again, is it?"  
  
"Nothing of the sort," Will retorted sharply, as if the idea was almost laughable. "There's a ship in Port Royal, Jack. From Africa."  
  
Jack grasped the rigging, swaying with the sea as he studied the boy intently. "And that means. . .?"  
  
"They're looking for Anamaria."  
  
Jack frowned, his forehead creasing in a deep line. "Ana!" he hollered as loud as he could muster without turning towards the cabin.  
  
The door to the cabin burst open and a disgruntled-looking Ana cautiously came out. Seeing Will Turner standing there, she stalked over to him and slapped him hard across the cheek.  
  
He clutched his stinging cheek in surprise, letting out a surprised gasp. Will looked to Jack with wide eyes, his expression questioning the guilt he held for that punishment. Jack only shrugged at the boy, with a better-you- than-me expression.  
  
"Fer scarin' me half to death!" Ana told him angrily, shoving her finger in his face. Will nodded obediently. "What are ye doin' here?" she demanded.  
  
"There's a ship from Africa in Port Royal that's been there a few days now. The crew's looking for you; they're from your father's tribe. One of them came with us here aboard the ship."  
  
Ana chewed her lip in distress, her gaze shifting from the ship behind Will to the pirate captain lounging against the lines. Though his posture was relaxed, she could see the tension in his shoulders and face. "It won't do any harm to 'ear him out," she said slowly.  
  
She felt Jack's gaze on her as they boarded the ship. She knew she hadn't said what he wanted her to, and they would be exchanging words later. Will was speaking again, and she struggled to focus her thoughts to process what he was saying.  
  
"His name is Salim and he's Himba, Ana but he knows English fairly well. He said he'd know you by sight, because he knew your father. But he also said something about a ring as well."  
  
Unconsciously, Ana's eyes shot to the ring that Jack wore, and he met her gaze defiantly, his unease with the situation made quite clear. Ana gave him a sharp look, but wrapped her fingers through his left hand in attempts to reassure him. The pirate remained rigid, his frown set firmly in place.  
  
Will led the pair towards the main cabin. Ana and Jack entered the dimly lit room in front of him. Blinking in the suddenly changing light, Ana could not see anything for several seconds as her eyes adjusted. She heard a flurry of activity and jangling metal and her eyes shot to the corner of the room. As her vision improved she was able to see a large man who had risen to his feet upon her entrance.  
  
He was wearing what appeared as leather as a vest and britches as typical of most sailors. His skin was the darkest she'd ever seen and she saw thick bracelets and necklaces adorning his body. She also noted the heavy club and cutlass strapped to his waist. Finally her gaze returned to his face to meet his eyes. The stranger dropped his eyes instantly, as if afraid to make eye contact with them.  
  
Ana exchanged wary glances with Jack, squeezing his fingers in reassurance before releasing them to step closer to the African. She was uncomfortable, and all the possible greetings she could think of flew from within grasp. Finally, she swallowed and tried to smile. "Hello."  
  
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AN: Stay tuned. Point of this little intermediately semi-story revealed. 


	3. Chapter 3

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Chapter 3  
  
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The man dropped to one knee with a clunk, his hand going to cross over his heart in what appeared to be some sort of salute. Behind her back, Jack and Will watched apprehensively. "Malika," the man who had to be Salim said reverently in greeting.  
  
Ana shot a glance back at Will and she took another cautious step towards Salim. "Malika?" she questioned tentatively.  
  
"Princess," he replied, his gaze fixed on the floor. His accent was heavy and thick with his native language.  
  
Ana felt a jolt go through her at the title, and she closed her eyes briefly, her hand reaching out blindly to grab a chair backing to support herself. "How-How do ye know that I'm the one ye want?"  
  
Salim's lips twisted in what might have been a smile. "I was good friends with your father's family as a boy. You resemble his sister greatly."  
  
"His-sister?" Ana questioned, feeling the strength that she so often called upon as a pirate abandoning her. Jack must have sensed this, and she felt him come to stand behind her and put a hand on the side of her waist in support, and she leaned against him gratefully.  
  
Salim shot Jack an ugly, dangerous look and rose to his feet. "Eeh*. She is of great strength to us."  
  
Ana watched with concern as Jack and the other man locked in a staring contest and she knew Jack's hand was itching for his sword. "Stop it, both of you," she commanded sharply, and Salim's eyes fell to the floor again. She felt the beginnings of a headache overtake her. "I 'eard ye wished to tell me a story," she managed finally.  
  
"Yes, malika. Sit."  
  
"I'll stand," Ana shot back. Her nerves were shot and all at once she wanted this man to leave and never come back and let her forget about her past. Her father's past.  
  
"Eeh," he said again in agreement. "I must be truthful. There is grave danger for our people."  
  
Ana felt her blood freeze. Her father's echoed words from the middle ground resounded painfully in her head, the weight of her promise threatening to suffocate her. "Aye?" she said, her tone indicating for him to continue. Behind her, she felt Jack go very still. The silence was almost deafening.  
  
"There is evil in the land. A pepo mbya, a bad spirit is hurting the people and the livestock. Many medicine men have been asked, but none can stop it. The brother of your father, the chief insists that your return has been foreseen by the ancestors to stop the destruction of the innocents."  
  
Ana let her breath out in a whoosh. "They think I can stop it?" It was more of a statement than a question.  
  
Salim nodded, his expression grave.  
  
Ana's heart sank, and suddenly she had to get out, out of this stuffy small dark room and its heavy silence and talk of evil spirits and ancestors. "'Scuse me," she muttered suddenly, turning and pushing her way out of the room into the blinding sunlight.  
  
"Ana!"  
  
She could hear Jack calling her, and she began to jog, grabbing a spare rope and swinging herself back onto the Pearl. Ignoring the confused glances by the crew, she sprinted to the helm and climbed atop the railing so she could gaze at the ocean.  
  
Ana heaved a deep breath, trying to free the thoughts and obligation that plagued her from her body. She closed her eyes and felt the salt air hurl itself through her loose hair and fill her mouth. Suddenly, along with her crushing obligation, she felt a devotion pulling at her heart. Ana felt treacherous tears prick at her eyelids and she opened her dark eyes to gaze down at the sea. The sea: her life, her sanity, her home.  
  
Jack Sparrow's boots clicked softly as he mounted the stairs to the helm, spying her sitting there on the polished dark railing. About a foot from her back, he stopped. What could he tell her? Don't go? Don't listen? Go?  
  
He carefully cleared his throat, but she didn't start, and he realized she had already sensed his presence. She shook her head slowly, and he heard a decisive note of sadness in her voice. "I don't know what to say, Jack."  
  
Jack drew even with her, nimbly climbing up as well to perch beside her on the rail. His gaze locked out on the horizon and he didn't know how to reply. "An' I don't know what to tell ye, love."  
  
Ana tipped her head back in frustration. "Guess I'm torn between one home and another, then," she remarked wryly. Sighing, she turned to face the man she had hated, one who had infuriated her to no end, a stealing bastard he was, and still the man she loved. "I'm goin,'" she finally said sharply, the weight of her promise pressing on her heart forcing her to say the words.  
  
Jack's gaze shot to her, "Don't."  
  
Ana shook her head, her eyes glittering with angry tears. "It ain't my choice."  
  
"It is!" he yelled, his face darkening with anger. "Ye can say no, Ana. Tell me ye'll say no," he demanded harshly, his fingers wrapping around her upper arm.  
  
She glared back at him. "No!" she screamed. Ana took a deep breath, knowing very well that it was possible that this was their goodbye. Captain Sparrow's wrath was a terrible thing. "No," she swallowed, repeated softly. "I'm going."  
  
Jack's features went cold and she could see the veils go down behind his eyes, blocking out all emotion and feeling. "Fine," he said coldly. He took off the ring that she had given him and pressed it into her palm, "Then ye ain't comin' back here."  
  
Ana's heart constricted painfully. "I know," she told him, turning to dismount the railing. She walked three steps, before gathering up her strength and coming to a halt.  
  
"For what its worth, Jack Sparrow, I love ye," Ana told him sharply. Then, not turning back to see his reaction, she went down the stairs from the helm and boarded the Requisition with a puzzled-looking William Turner and sailed away, out of his life.  
  
Jack stared out at the horizon for a long time, long after the other ship had pulled away. "Aye," he finally murmured quietly to the wind, "I love ye, Ana."  
  
Jack swung his legs around the other side of the railing and stumbled towards the helm, his sharp features masking the searing pain that had torn apart his anger and his heart. Grasping the helm, he uttered one bitter phrase.  
  
"A pirate's life for me."  
  
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Finito.  
  
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. . . Or not.  
  
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In Swahili, 'malika' means princess or queen and 'eeh' means yes.  
  
AN: See? No plot. Before you start with the flames, let me just make it known that I'm staring a sequel right now called "Find Your Way Back." Do you really think I'd have my favorite couple end like this? I don't think so!  
  
I was going to wait and post 2 and 3 farther apart so I could get some reader opinions of it. . . but in the end this new story is flying into my head and I just can't keep up so I figured I better get this part over and done with.  
  
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Um, please tell me the truth. Is it really really weird for a pirate fic would take place partly/mostly on land? Is that horrible? Please tell me if you have any objections or reasons why it shouldn't, but I'm fully planning on it happening for this next installment of Jack and Ana's story. If it's unacceptable, howevever, I guess I can try to change it.  
  
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*Swahili meaning 'yes' 


End file.
